Editing Shadow Fey (section)

====Portune====
Portunes, also known as hodge-podgers, are a [[pixie]]-like member of the Arak family tree, resembling black-skinned pixies with white hair, overly large black eyes (white eyes in AD&D), and large, white moth wings growing from their backs. They are rarely seen in this form, though, as they prefer to spend their time in the shape of small reptiles such as snakes, lizards and tortoises. Males are known to prefer tortoise form, whilst females usually take the form of venomous snakes.

Portune are the Arak's medics and healers, although their skills in alchemy stem beyond just medicine into cooking, winemaking and herbalism. Strangely, portune are the only other Arak besides the Fir to change markedly between editions, with its 3rd edition entry claiming that they are a race of "clerks and information keepers"... even though portunekin [[changeling]]s only receive a bonus to the Heal skill as part of their transformation. This may have been an error on the creators' parts, and is likely a result of them getting confused on the difference between scholar and healer. Their AD&D entry describes them as being somber and scholarly, as well as being compassionate and pacifistic by nature; they don't like to see others suffering, and will always break cover in order to heal the sick and wounded. Their 3e entry calls them careful, quiet, genial, soft-spoken and shy, stating they are renowned for their analytical thought and creativity, which earns them respect from the other breeds.

In AD&D, it's stated that portune are wanderers who may be encountered in almost any terrain as they pursue various research projects. They tend to make their homes in marshy regions where many of the strange and interesting plants and fungi they work with can be readily gathered. They dig small burrows in small patches of higher ground, often concealed by clusters of cattails. A portune home is likely to have a nest of friendly vipers nearby, acting both as protectors and a source of (medicinal) venom.

They have been known to quietly infiltrate the homes of mortal healers in AD&D, where they may, depending on their opinion, offer education or attempt to make a [[changeling]] out of that unfortunate worthy. In 3rd edition, it's stated that opening a dialogue with a portune is not impossible, but it is tricky; the mortal must ensure the portune feels completely safe, then call out to it despite its use of a reptile form disguise, and then allow the portune to light on their shoulder; their voices are so soft that it's almost impossible for them to be heard if they aren't speaking into a person's ear.

Inoffensive by nature, portunes have only one real weapon; wounds inflicted by their bite attacks can only be healed by either powerful magic - like, limited wish or better - or by the portune who bit that person in the first place. They are immune to wooden or stone weapons (AD&D vs 3e again), and also to fire, but can be readily harmed despite their fey resilience by copper weapons. In AD&D, anyone attacking a portune must save vs. spell or be afflicted by a Fumble spell, and they can cast Healing sphere spells as if they were 5th level [[cleric]]s. IN 3e, they lose the former trait, and their spellcasting is downgraded to that of a 2nd level [[Sorcerer (Dungeons & Dragons)|sorcerer]].

Portunes are all but exclusively members of the Seelie court, as their compassion and pacifistic nature precludes them from joining the Unseelie. In 3e, they often serve and attend shee, which furthers their status as opposites to the powrie.

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